Wide Receiver Mike McNeill

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010
Pre-Missouri

On how he feels about going against Missouri for the last time
"I'm 2-2 so I'll tell you after Saturday. Obviously I am excited for it. It's always a big week. You can't say that it's just any other week this week. It's a big game for me, it's always fun."

On if Missouri came after him heavily in recruiting
"Later, right away when they could have offered, they offered my teammate, didn't offer me right away. As the process went on they started trying to get a visit and tried to contact me a lot more. At that point I was already kind of settled in on Nebraska."

On any extra incentive to show them they should have gotten him
"No, I didn't want to go there. It wouldn't have mattered how quickly they started."

On what makes Missouri's defense different this year from last year
"They play hard, real hard. They flow to the ball. There are guys always around. They are fast flowing. I think they just kind of stepped up in every area. They have a good D-line. They have good players at each position and anytime you do that you have a solid unit. They don't really have any weak spots."

On how fun the game against Oklahoma State was with the passing game working
"It was a lot of fun. We haven't really aired it out yet. That was the first time. It was nice to get Taylor (Martinez) going and get the passing game going and show everyone what we could do."

On if that is what they see from the pass game in practice
"Yeah, we've said all year that he can throw the ball and he can. He hasn't been asked to throw the ball a whole lot. In the Texas game nothing really worked too well. He's done it all year and he showed you guys Saturday that he's accurate, he throws a good ball, he is capable of passing."

On hearing people say they struggle at home
"I don't really know that we struggle at home. Last home game everyone built up into a big game and we didn't win and all of a sudden we're not good at home. We won all the home games before that. I don't know if we're trying to erase that or anything, it's just another game, home or away, we have to go out and execute."

On the pride they have in defending the home field
"Everyone says protect their house and you have to win at home. Obviously that is important. We've been pretty good on the road, not that we haven't been good at home, but it's definitely something I think we need to do better. It's little things that kind of for whatever reason make us play differently at home, like last week .We do need to defend our home. We need to win at home and the crowd gives us an advantage and we need to use that."

On if it requires a different mentality playing at home
"You just need to stay focused. Obviously when you're on the road there are fewer guys around. It's just the guys who are traveling, you don't have as many fans there, and everyone is rooting against you and booing you. At home it's a little more laid back because everyone is cheering for you and everyone wants you to win and do well. So yeah, I think you have to stay focused, that's a big part of it, just keeping the right mindset."

On why the Missouri game is so important
"It's just always a big week because people from home like Mizzou and are always in my ear. The last seven weeks all I've heard about it how good they look each week. It's always a fun game."

On the history of the rivalry
"For the school in general I know a lot of times it plays out that the winner wins the North, that's how it's been lately. It's been a big game lately just because everything is built up to whoever wins can move on and go to the Big 12 Championship Game. It's not always how it works, but the last couple of years that is how it's played out. It's become bigger and bigger each year."

On what makes Missouri's defense so good this year
"Like I said, I think they are solid all around. They're back end has some experienced players, their linebackers have returned some guys who have played a lot and their D-line has plenty of talent. Any time you get guys who have played together for a while and had a lot of game experience, I think that makes you a better defense or a better offense or a better special teams. Right now that is what they have."

On who talks to him about Missouri
"All of them. I have some relatives who went there and like Mizzou quite a bit. At first they were like, oh we're not sure about them, but the last couple of weeks I've been hearing how good they are. It's a little bit of everyone."

On if he's heard from his uncle Ted
"He's coming to the game. I am giving him one of my tickets, but he is not allowed to wear any Missouri stuff."

On the kind of calls he's been getting since they beat Oklahoma
"Nothing outrageous, just my friends asking if I saw the game. My mom, dad and aunt and uncle after the Oklahoma State game went and watched the Missouri game. They commented on how good they looked. I've watched them a little bit and thought they looked pretty good so far."

On what a win like Missouri had last week over Oklahoma does to a team and in Nebraska's eyes
"You can't look at what they did last week. Every week is different. Every game is up and down. Obviously they were coming off a big win. I don't know how they are going to react or how they are handling things. For us, it's just the process. I'm sure you guys get tired of hearing that. That is all we do, focus on the process and go each day and each week. No matter what they've done we have to go out and execute our stuff. We have to take care of the little details and fix ourselves and not worry about them."

On if he thinks they will have the same offensive performance against Missouri's defense
"Yeah, like I said, if we execute and pay attention to the little things. It's fixing ourselves. It's not necessarily who we're playing I don't think. As long as we're doing the right things, making the right read and doing the little things right I think we'll be good."

On if he ever roots for Missouri in non-Big 12 games
"No comment."

On what he is looking for when he's watching film of Missouri
"There are different things you look for, tendencies, what they like to do, how they play? Do they all run to the ball? Do they like to strip the ball? What kind of moves do they like to do? Do they like to jam the receivers? Do they give you free releases? There are a lot of different things just so you know how they like to play. We're still going to go out there and execute our stuff. We still have to go out and block and catch the ball and stuff like that. That's why it's about us, but at the same time you want to get a feel for what you're going against."

On what he's seen from them
"I think they flow to the ball well. I think they are pretty downhill. They move fast, whenever they see something, they react. Right now they are playing well as a unit."

On if he still talks to Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert
"Yeah, I just talked to him a couple of days ago. Just said good game, nothing big, he said thanks. I'm sure I'll talk to him when he comes into town."

On if he can tell that Gabbert is more comfortable with how he plays
"Not literally, just said good game. We haven't been talking but he's done a good job this year. I think another year in the system has helped him. He's doing well."

On scoring on the first drive of a game
"I think it is important for every game to get out on the right foot. At the same time if you start out 14-nothing that can't change the way you play.  Any time you start with a scoring drive right away I think that just gives you momentum and you build on it.  I think it is important, but at the same time, you can't let it affect you if you don't."